Finding time for rest

We are in our last push to get school done for the year. Half the kids have already finished their math. All but one are done writing. My two high-schoolers taking college classes are finishing up last projects and gearing up for finals. The teens are down to their last two chapters of chemistry, and because I’m feeling tired, I’ve decreed we will be reading and answering the review questions, but won’t take those last two chapter tests. They’re delighted.

It is a busy time, but one where a slower pace is just around the corner. I am so looking forward to it. We’ve had a good productive year, one where in wanting to get things finished with my senior who’s graduating, we’ve all worked harder than usual. I’ve especially seen gains in writing skills, which is a great thing.

Though productivity is a great thing, it can also be overdone. This year I’ve felt the need for more rest than we tend to get on the weekend. Saturdays are often slower-paced. But Sundays are very busy — filled with grandbabies and visiting kids. It is a wonderful kind of busy — I am so very blessed. But it isn’t quite rest. Two year old boys move fast, ya know! And feeding two meals to a crowd is busy even when I do a lot of the cooking on Saturday, and have kids doing the cleanup after meals.

So this summer and continuing into the next school year we’re trying something new. We are making Monday a day of rest. No agenda, no activities. The kids can sleep in –that’s one of the things they want more of — and we can all have time just to hang out, read and relax and maybe even play games.

Thanks to homeschooling, we have the flexibility to give this a try, and I’m hoping it’s just what we need. How does the pace of life feel in your family right now? Do you feel like you get enough down time? What do you do for rest when things get busy?

{ 6 Comments }

What a GREAT idea, Mary! My kids would LOVE this. You’ve definitely given me something to think about. Thank you so much for your blog posts offering regular encouragement and creative ideas. You are SUCH a blessing to me!

Mary, this is a great idea. We never did that when our children were younger because we didn’t homeschool, but for the last few years I have taken Monday’s “off” too. Sometimes it is really hard not to schedule just that one meeting or that one errand, but I have so loved having that day of rest to just be at home. Like you, Sundays are a busy day for us and Saturdays are quite full with family activities, so Mondays turn out to be the perfect day to step back. Let us know how this works out for you all. Well done for making a day of rest for your family!

I think this is a GREAT idea! I was involved with a small MK school overseas that did this also. Mondays there was no school, b/c most of the parents were busy in church work on Sundays, and it was their day off. School was Tues – Fri or Tues – Sat noon, depending on the season & the grade. If you didn’t finish your work, you had more homework, but it all worked out. I hope it works well for your family!

I dislike to wake up a sleeping child. Our homeschooling day normally starts at 8. I will let the occasional tired one sleep. But it is understood that when they wake up I expect them to catch up by being extra efficient. Therefore, productivity has to increase and there are no breaks between subjects. It works well.
The children are also in charge of making the family meal Wednesday night and Sunday for lunch.
In their spare time, I ask each child to do an extra day of school work ahead. If we need it (sickness, travel…), then it is done. When the extra day is done (3 subjects, correction done), I make a little card with the child’s name and a note “no homework” on it. When we need it, the kids show me their card and then we tear it before recycling.

Fridays are out half days if need be. Sometimes it is nothing but spelling tests and we are done for the day. Other days there isn’t even that much LOL

Next year I am seriously going to try and do the Sabbath week. 6 weeks on, 1 week off. This year….well, the last couple of years…..we’ve had to have adjustment time with new adoption placements. Both years have had loooong disruptions in our school.

I’m not sweating it. The joy of homeschooling…..we will get there and the kids will graduate on time